Conventional orthodontic treatment (“braces”) lasts on average from 22 to 24 months due to the fact that the teeth are housed in bone that must go through the resorption/demineralization (softening) process to allow the teeth to move. The longer the treatment takes, the more side effects are possible including permanent root length loss and/or gum and bone disease due to improper patient care.
Corticotomy is a widely accepted method for accelerating tooth movement to shorten treatment time but requires costly bone and gum surgery that can be painful and has significant associated morbidity.
Following orthodontic treatment, there is a prolonged period of retention while the bone deposition (hardening) takes place over the period of up to two years (retention). Orthodontic literature places instability/relapse at 30% or greater. Currently, there is long-term retention using retainers, both fixed and removable, which requires diligence and continued cooperation.
Prior art attempts to shorten orthodontic treatment time have proven ineffective, generally due to their inability to significantly increase the rate of tooth movement. Specific protein injection systems to enhance bone resorption have experienced a lot of wash out of the therapeutic agent, so continual re-injections are needed and are thus more painful and are prone to cause infections. Laser therapy systems and vibrational energy systems have been generally ineffective as described in orthodontic literature